Prologue
River sat and stared out her window just craving for some excitement in her life. It was very dreary and dark outside as the rain had no sign of stopping. River glanced back at her computer screen to draw her attention back to what she was writing. Every time she would start a sentence she would be side-tracked by the constant thud of rain drops hitting her window. River let out a slight sigh as she plopped back in her chair. She leaned her head over the back of her swivel chair as she slowly moved it back and forth. River stared at a sign she had put on the ceiling that stated, 'Sleep is for the weak'. River rubbed her tired blood-shot eyes. "Why did I ever put that up there?" She asked herself as she took a few hard blinks in an attempt to keep awake. River took a deep breath in then re-concentrated on her monitor. She stretched out her arms above her and let out a yawn. River brought her arms directly down to the keyboard and began typing again. She quickly found herself having to keep re-spelling words several times to get them correct. River let out another yawn as the screen started to become blurry. She rubbed her eyes in a last attempt to stay awake, but it just wasn't enough. Rivers head fell strait to the keyboard, and she was out cold.
River dreamed of many nice things. She dreamed of chocolate and cute little animals. Though there was one thing in particular she always seemed to dream about. That is, when she did sleep, or when she could actually remember her dreams. This recurring dream was about a man who seemed about her own age. He would some how always know her name but she would never know his. This mystery man appeared in shadow and River couldn't make out his face. This guy says nothing and does nothing, but for some reason she has a feeling she knows him. When, even though she does see him in her dreams, she has never actually met anyone even remotely like him. River dreamed the man had given her a piece of chocolate. In this dream her and the man just sat at a table while she ate her dream chocolate. Then out of nowhere River herd so rooster sounds. "Excuse me?" River asked the man think he had said something. The noise went off again. "Where is that coming from?" River said as she stood up and looked around but she could see nothing except the dark walls of her dream.
River jerked a few times and mumbled something as she slowly opened her eyes. She looked around for a few seconds. River soon realized that the piece of chocolate she had believed she was chewing on was actually the cord to her headphones. "Gross." River whispered as she took the cord out of her mouth. She sat back in her chair and rubbed her neck. River always did hate that alarm clock. Well there was a time she liked it, but she's hated it ever since it woke her up in the middle of a romantic dream. Imagine going to kiss a very handsome guy in your dream, then awaking to the noise of a rooster. River promises herself she'll trade it for a different one once she gets the money to. Till then she's just stuck with this obnoxious one. River looked at the monitor to try to pick up where she had left off. She then noticed that when her head was on the keyboard she had managed to fill 123 pages with the letter 'g'. "Oh man," River sighed, "I am not putting up with this right now." River stood up and made it to her door way. She stopped for a second to admire her door which had been turned into a collage of pictures and magazine clippings. River then continued down the hallway. Past her sister's room and the living room. She then went in the kitchen and began to look through the fridge. River could feel her stomach growling as she looked around for something small to snack on. 'No. No. Never mind.' River thought to herself as she looked at her stomach. She put her hand over it and pinched the little bit of fat she had, "I'm so fat! I don't disserve to eat!" River screamed as she slammed the refrigerator door. She quickly walked over to the utensil drawer and pulled out a steak knife. River just stared at it for a couple of seconds then brought it down to her stomach. "I'm so fat!" River said as tears began to form in her eyes. "I'll just cut you out!" She screamed as she started to apply pressure to the knife. River let out a sorrow-full sigh as she lowered the blade from her stomach. "I can't do it." River whispered to herself. Just then the phone began to ring. River gently sat down the knife on the counter. She then continued to the living room in search for the phone. She walked over to the chair that was in the center of the room and picked up the phone. She held it and read the caller ID. It read 'Reeves'. 'Ah, Bridget.' River thought as she pushed the 'talk' button.
"Hello?" River said answering the phone.
"Hey River. You want to do something today?" Bridget responded from the other side of the line.
"Um, sure. What are we gonna do?" River answered while she moved back into the kitchen.
"I'm not sure. What would you like to do?"
"Well you were the one who wanted to do something. Don't you have anything in mind?" River asked as she picked up the knife off the counter and placed it in the sink.
"We could eat something." Bridget suggested.
"Where would we eat?" River asked.
"I don't know, where do you want to eat?"
"Hmm......" River paused to think about it for a second, "How about, On the Boarder?"
"Sounds good to me!" Bridget responded happily, "I'll see you there in a few."
"Okay till then." River said then hung up the phone. She then walked to her room, grabbed her jacket and left. River went down the hall to the stairs, she always uses the stairs. When she reached the bottom she opened the door and left. River walked to the other side of the side-walk, to the side closest to the street. She then stuck her arm in the air and waved it back and fourth saying 'Taxi'. When one of the cabs finally did pull over she got in and to the cabby to take her to the restaurant. After about 5 minutes they reached her destination. River got out of the cab and moved up to the passenger side window. "How much?" River asked.
"$6.75" The cabby responded. River pulled a twenty out of her purse and gave it to the driver. "Here, keep the change." River said with a smile on her face.
"Thanks allot miss." The driver said very pleased and drove off. River turned around and when into the building. Inside she saw Bridget sitting on a bench waiting for her.
"Heya 'B'." River said as she grabbed Bridget's attention.
"Hey chica." Bridget responded while putting her magazine back down on the end table it came from. "These people have a 27 minute wait."
"What?" River asked then sighed, "Okay well let's go find somewhere else."
"Okay." Bridget agreed as she walked out the door. A few minutes later they found a nice place where they could sit outside and eat. A waiter came by and got their orders and took their menus. As River un-did her napkin to get her silver-ware out of it Bridget noticed some new cuts on her arm. Bridget just tried to ignore it so they wouldn't end up creating a scene. "So what's new?" Bridget asked.
"Nothing much." River said then was interrupted by Katrina. Bridget and River didn't like Katrina, and she didn't like them.
"River." Katrina said snobbishly.
"Katrina." River responded to Katrina's snob ways by acting the same towards her.
"Well, your looking very thin."
"Thank you." River responded while secretly liking what she had said and taking it as a complement.
"Tell me; Are you eating less, or throwing-up more?" Katrina said then her and her other snobby friends laughed. River was obviously very hurt by this 'question' and Bridget could tell. Bridget stood up and continued on to say , "Hey! Don't make fun of her!" Bridget yelled at Katrina and her 'followers'. Bridget was worried about Rivers condition but she didn't want anyone else to bother her about it.
"Oh look guys lil'ol Bridget actually has something to say." Katrina said while taunting her.
"Yeah! I have something to say; and you better listen!" Bridget said angrily as she shoved Katrina a few steps back. "Look bitch you have no right to make fun of people like that!" Bridget yelled to Katrina. Katrina took a few steps forward so she was right in Bridget's face. She then poked Bridget in the shoulder while saying, "Don't tell me what my right's are!"
"Don't touch me." Bridget warned as she slapped away Katrina's hand.
"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?" Katrina asked while she began to poke at Bridget again.
"This!" Bridget said with rage as her fist hit Katrina's nose causing it to bleed.
"You'll pay for that!" Katrina screamed in that squeaky voice you get when you cover your nose. Bridget and River just started laughing at Katrina's voice.
"What's going on over here?!" The manager asked.
"Um....we were....uh..." Bridget knew that they were going to be in trouble for the whole 'hitting' thing.
"Leave at once!" The manager said enraged with anger. Bridget and River quickly grabbed their things and called for a cab.
"I can't believe you hit her." River said dumbfounded.
"Well I couldn't let her get away with making fun of my best friend." Bridget responded while getting into the cab.
"Well thank you." River responded as she joined Bridget in the cab. "So where to?"
"Um.....Back to your place?" Bridget suggested.
"Okay; you can spend the night."
They drove several blocks till they got back to Rivers apartment building. Bridget paid the driver and they both headed up the stairs. When they got to Rivers apartment they stepped inside. Bridget looked around for a few seconds then asked, "Where's your parents?"
"Oh their gone on business."
"That's always cool." Bridget said then remembered the scars on River's arm, "River, we have to talk about something." Bridget said while sitting down. River caught the gesture and sat down also.
"River, I'm worried about you." Bridget said all worried-like.
"Why?" River asked.
"I saw the scars on your arm.....and one of those looked new." Bridget took a pause, "I thought you were over that."
"Oh come on Bridget! Suicide is like the biggest 'fuck you' to the whole world." River said while trying to convince Bridget.
"Yeah but don't you think it's a little extreme?" Bridget responded.
"Don't you remember our pact?" River asked.
"We made that pact when we were eight." Bridget said.
"Out by sixteen or dead in this scene but together forever." River said while holding out her hand. On it was a scar from a cut that resembled a number sign. Bridget looked at her hand, which had the exact same scar on it. Bridget put her hand in Rivers, "Out by sixteen or dead in this scene but together forever."
"Together forever."
River sat and stared out her window just craving for some excitement in her life. It was very dreary and dark outside as the rain had no sign of stopping. River glanced back at her computer screen to draw her attention back to what she was writing. Every time she would start a sentence she would be side-tracked by the constant thud of rain drops hitting her window. River let out a slight sigh as she plopped back in her chair. She leaned her head over the back of her swivel chair as she slowly moved it back and forth. River stared at a sign she had put on the ceiling that stated, 'Sleep is for the weak'. River rubbed her tired blood-shot eyes. "Why did I ever put that up there?" She asked herself as she took a few hard blinks in an attempt to keep awake. River took a deep breath in then re-concentrated on her monitor. She stretched out her arms above her and let out a yawn. River brought her arms directly down to the keyboard and began typing again. She quickly found herself having to keep re-spelling words several times to get them correct. River let out another yawn as the screen started to become blurry. She rubbed her eyes in a last attempt to stay awake, but it just wasn't enough. Rivers head fell strait to the keyboard, and she was out cold.
River dreamed of many nice things. She dreamed of chocolate and cute little animals. Though there was one thing in particular she always seemed to dream about. That is, when she did sleep, or when she could actually remember her dreams. This recurring dream was about a man who seemed about her own age. He would some how always know her name but she would never know his. This mystery man appeared in shadow and River couldn't make out his face. This guy says nothing and does nothing, but for some reason she has a feeling she knows him. When, even though she does see him in her dreams, she has never actually met anyone even remotely like him. River dreamed the man had given her a piece of chocolate. In this dream her and the man just sat at a table while she ate her dream chocolate. Then out of nowhere River herd so rooster sounds. "Excuse me?" River asked the man think he had said something. The noise went off again. "Where is that coming from?" River said as she stood up and looked around but she could see nothing except the dark walls of her dream.
River jerked a few times and mumbled something as she slowly opened her eyes. She looked around for a few seconds. River soon realized that the piece of chocolate she had believed she was chewing on was actually the cord to her headphones. "Gross." River whispered as she took the cord out of her mouth. She sat back in her chair and rubbed her neck. River always did hate that alarm clock. Well there was a time she liked it, but she's hated it ever since it woke her up in the middle of a romantic dream. Imagine going to kiss a very handsome guy in your dream, then awaking to the noise of a rooster. River promises herself she'll trade it for a different one once she gets the money to. Till then she's just stuck with this obnoxious one. River looked at the monitor to try to pick up where she had left off. She then noticed that when her head was on the keyboard she had managed to fill 123 pages with the letter 'g'. "Oh man," River sighed, "I am not putting up with this right now." River stood up and made it to her door way. She stopped for a second to admire her door which had been turned into a collage of pictures and magazine clippings. River then continued down the hallway. Past her sister's room and the living room. She then went in the kitchen and began to look through the fridge. River could feel her stomach growling as she looked around for something small to snack on. 'No. No. Never mind.' River thought to herself as she looked at her stomach. She put her hand over it and pinched the little bit of fat she had, "I'm so fat! I don't disserve to eat!" River screamed as she slammed the refrigerator door. She quickly walked over to the utensil drawer and pulled out a steak knife. River just stared at it for a couple of seconds then brought it down to her stomach. "I'm so fat!" River said as tears began to form in her eyes. "I'll just cut you out!" She screamed as she started to apply pressure to the knife. River let out a sorrow-full sigh as she lowered the blade from her stomach. "I can't do it." River whispered to herself. Just then the phone began to ring. River gently sat down the knife on the counter. She then continued to the living room in search for the phone. She walked over to the chair that was in the center of the room and picked up the phone. She held it and read the caller ID. It read 'Reeves'. 'Ah, Bridget.' River thought as she pushed the 'talk' button.
"Hello?" River said answering the phone.
"Hey River. You want to do something today?" Bridget responded from the other side of the line.
"Um, sure. What are we gonna do?" River answered while she moved back into the kitchen.
"I'm not sure. What would you like to do?"
"Well you were the one who wanted to do something. Don't you have anything in mind?" River asked as she picked up the knife off the counter and placed it in the sink.
"We could eat something." Bridget suggested.
"Where would we eat?" River asked.
"I don't know, where do you want to eat?"
"Hmm......" River paused to think about it for a second, "How about, On the Boarder?"
"Sounds good to me!" Bridget responded happily, "I'll see you there in a few."
"Okay till then." River said then hung up the phone. She then walked to her room, grabbed her jacket and left. River went down the hall to the stairs, she always uses the stairs. When she reached the bottom she opened the door and left. River walked to the other side of the side-walk, to the side closest to the street. She then stuck her arm in the air and waved it back and fourth saying 'Taxi'. When one of the cabs finally did pull over she got in and to the cabby to take her to the restaurant. After about 5 minutes they reached her destination. River got out of the cab and moved up to the passenger side window. "How much?" River asked.
"$6.75" The cabby responded. River pulled a twenty out of her purse and gave it to the driver. "Here, keep the change." River said with a smile on her face.
"Thanks allot miss." The driver said very pleased and drove off. River turned around and when into the building. Inside she saw Bridget sitting on a bench waiting for her.
"Heya 'B'." River said as she grabbed Bridget's attention.
"Hey chica." Bridget responded while putting her magazine back down on the end table it came from. "These people have a 27 minute wait."
"What?" River asked then sighed, "Okay well let's go find somewhere else."
"Okay." Bridget agreed as she walked out the door. A few minutes later they found a nice place where they could sit outside and eat. A waiter came by and got their orders and took their menus. As River un-did her napkin to get her silver-ware out of it Bridget noticed some new cuts on her arm. Bridget just tried to ignore it so they wouldn't end up creating a scene. "So what's new?" Bridget asked.
"Nothing much." River said then was interrupted by Katrina. Bridget and River didn't like Katrina, and she didn't like them.
"River." Katrina said snobbishly.
"Katrina." River responded to Katrina's snob ways by acting the same towards her.
"Well, your looking very thin."
"Thank you." River responded while secretly liking what she had said and taking it as a complement.
"Tell me; Are you eating less, or throwing-up more?" Katrina said then her and her other snobby friends laughed. River was obviously very hurt by this 'question' and Bridget could tell. Bridget stood up and continued on to say , "Hey! Don't make fun of her!" Bridget yelled at Katrina and her 'followers'. Bridget was worried about Rivers condition but she didn't want anyone else to bother her about it.
"Oh look guys lil'ol Bridget actually has something to say." Katrina said while taunting her.
"Yeah! I have something to say; and you better listen!" Bridget said angrily as she shoved Katrina a few steps back. "Look bitch you have no right to make fun of people like that!" Bridget yelled to Katrina. Katrina took a few steps forward so she was right in Bridget's face. She then poked Bridget in the shoulder while saying, "Don't tell me what my right's are!"
"Don't touch me." Bridget warned as she slapped away Katrina's hand.
"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?" Katrina asked while she began to poke at Bridget again.
"This!" Bridget said with rage as her fist hit Katrina's nose causing it to bleed.
"You'll pay for that!" Katrina screamed in that squeaky voice you get when you cover your nose. Bridget and River just started laughing at Katrina's voice.
"What's going on over here?!" The manager asked.
"Um....we were....uh..." Bridget knew that they were going to be in trouble for the whole 'hitting' thing.
"Leave at once!" The manager said enraged with anger. Bridget and River quickly grabbed their things and called for a cab.
"I can't believe you hit her." River said dumbfounded.
"Well I couldn't let her get away with making fun of my best friend." Bridget responded while getting into the cab.
"Well thank you." River responded as she joined Bridget in the cab. "So where to?"
"Um.....Back to your place?" Bridget suggested.
"Okay; you can spend the night."
They drove several blocks till they got back to Rivers apartment building. Bridget paid the driver and they both headed up the stairs. When they got to Rivers apartment they stepped inside. Bridget looked around for a few seconds then asked, "Where's your parents?"
"Oh their gone on business."
"That's always cool." Bridget said then remembered the scars on River's arm, "River, we have to talk about something." Bridget said while sitting down. River caught the gesture and sat down also.
"River, I'm worried about you." Bridget said all worried-like.
"Why?" River asked.
"I saw the scars on your arm.....and one of those looked new." Bridget took a pause, "I thought you were over that."
"Oh come on Bridget! Suicide is like the biggest 'fuck you' to the whole world." River said while trying to convince Bridget.
"Yeah but don't you think it's a little extreme?" Bridget responded.
"Don't you remember our pact?" River asked.
"We made that pact when we were eight." Bridget said.
"Out by sixteen or dead in this scene but together forever." River said while holding out her hand. On it was a scar from a cut that resembled a number sign. Bridget looked at her hand, which had the exact same scar on it. Bridget put her hand in Rivers, "Out by sixteen or dead in this scene but together forever."
"Together forever."